House Rowan
House Rowan of Goldengrove is one of the oldest and most prominent noble houses located within the Reach, its dominion extending all along the region's northern borders. For this reason, the head of House Rowan is granted the additional title of Marshall of Northmarch. The current head of House Rowan is Lady Victaria Rowan. They blazon their arms with a golden tree on silver. Their words are "The Strong Do Not Wither." Like several other major houses in the Reach, the Rowans can trace their line back to Garth Greenhand. History Origins Rowan Gold-Tree was the legendary daughter of Garth Greenhand. According to lore, she was so bereft when her lover left her for a rich rival that she wrapped an apple in her golden hair and planted it upon a hill. From the apple grew a tree whose bark, leaves and fruit were yellow gold. House Rowan traces its roots to one of Rowan's daughters--Rohanne, a dark-haired beauty. In some tales of the Reach, Lann the Clever was a bastard born to Rowan or her sister Florys the Fox. Merchant Ties House Rowan has remained a relatively influential House in the Reach for most of its history due to its wealth, even before it was associated with the horse trade. Despite the fact that many of the Houses of the Reach were eager to consent to a match with the descendants of Rowan Gold-Tree, the Lords of Rowan have regularly sought spouses for their children from the ranks of the finest merchant families, which both brought infusions of gold into the House's coffers and added individuals with financial acumen to the ranks of the Rowans. An Equestrian House House Rowan owes its current focus to Mathis Rowan, the son and heir of Thaddeus, Lord of Goldengrove during the era of the Dance of the Dragons. An avid tourney competitor, Mathis became obsessed with finding the perfect horse for the tilt, and eventually began breeding and training his own mounts. He was also the first to build the tourney grounds at Goldengrove, which have been expanded upon repeatedly over the years due to its convenient location just north of Highgarden. And while Mathis Rowan never parted with any of his prized horses during his lifetime for any sum offered, his children knew an opportunity when they saw it. Location Goldengrove is the ancestral seat of House Rowan. House Rowan's holdings encompass the greatest amount of territory--in acreage--in the Reach, making them one of the wealthiest houses in the region. Their lands extend east of the Red Lake all long the Reach's northern borders to the Blackwater Rush, lying north of both the Mander River and the Rose Road, and along both sides of the fertile river basin south of Silverhill in the Westerlands all the way down to Highgarden at their southern-most point. Current Household * Victaria Rowan - Lady of Goldengrove, Lady Marshall of the Northmarch. Aged twenty. * Aelinor Rowan - the Lady's half-sister. Aged seven. * Sybelle Rowan - the Lady's half-sister. Aged five. * Alyse Ashford, formerly Rowan - aunt. Aged two and forty. * Janessa Ashford - cousin. Aged seven and ten. * Cynthea Ashford - cousin. Aged three and ten. Notable Members * Lord Thaddeus Rowan, Lord of Goldengrove during the Dance of the Dragons. * Lord Mathis Rowan, Lord of Goldengrove and founder of its horse-breeding programs. Sworn Houses *House Conklyn of Conklyn Keep *House Durwell of Durwell *House Osgrey of Coldmoat *House Osgrey of Standfast *House Stackhouse of Fort Stackhouse Category:House Rowan Category:Reach